NBA Hoopsters To Pay Tribute To Fictional High School Team [VIDEO]

In professional sports, tribute or "throw back" uniforms are common place. It is not out place when a major league baseball team wears a jersey honoring a minor league team that used to play in its city or one of a negro league team from that regions history. NFL teams often wear jerseys celebrating their team's history and even the National Hockey League regularly celebrate history with classic uniforms. But the National Basketball League's Indiana Pacers will be taking it one step further during their 2015-2016 season.

"In a unique collaboration, MGM and the Indiana Pacers will bring one of the all-time great underdog stories, Hoosiers, to the NBA hardwood. For the 2015-16 season, the Indiana Pacers will be introducing the Hickory uniform as part of the NBA Pride Collection to be worn on select regular season games. The Hickory uniform is a tribute to the rich tradition and history of basketball in the State of Indiana and will serve as inspiration to fans everywhere that no matter how improbable the challenge may be, amazing things can be accomplished through teamwork, determination, heart, and hustle."

Though fictional, the Hickory High Huskers were in fact inspired by a true story. In 1954, head coach Marvin Wood led his small school Millan High on an improbable run to the Indiana State Championship by defeating several teams from larger towns and cities.  At the time, and not until 1999, the state of Indiana did not separate schools by size when competing for the state title.

Apparently, it still does not separate them by whether or not they actually existed.